Stricker happy with his game and in a good frame of mind

Augusta, Ga. -- Steve Stricker is flying under the radar, and he loves it.

Stricker arrived in Augusta as the eighth-ranked golfer in the world and with two runner-up finishes in four starts this year, but only about 20 reporters were in the interview room at Augusta National for his pre-tournament news conference today.

Stricker is playing a reduced schedule this year and he's largely been out of the public eye, which suits him just fine. He's gotten more attention for giving Tiger Woods a putting tip a few weeks back than he has for his own play.

I've covered Stricker for a long time and I've seldom seen him more relaxed and less apprehensive on the eve of a major championship. Whether that bodes well for his chances at Augusta National remains to be seen.

An answer he gave to a great question from Doug Ferguson of The Associated Press spoke volumes about why he has struggled here over the years. Ferguson asked why the Masters is the only major championship in which Stricker has never been in contention over the final few holes (Stricker has two top-10 finishes in 12 starts but never really had a chance to win).

"For the most part, I've struggled here a little bit," Stricker said. "I'm starting to feel a little bit more comfortable going around here, but there's still a few things I haven't figured out. Or I've gotten in my way, I think, a few times here, too. ... You know, feeling a little overwhelmed about this place at times."

I remember following Stricker during a practice round here in 1996, his first Masters. I was walking with Dennis Tiziani, Stricker's father-in-law and swing coach, and he told me Stricker was awestruck with the whole notion of playing in the Masters. Tiziani kept telling him it was just another tournament, but Stricker couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking in the footsteps of legends.

"Guys keep telling you, before you even come here, how nerve-wracking, how intimidating this course can be," Stricker said. "So this reputation that it has, and rightly so, it gets in your head at times, I think. I think I've gotten in my way mentally here more times than not. That's the stuff you have to overcome here. And it's a tricky course. You've got to know where to hit it and where not to hit it. Otherwise, you're in for a long day."

Some would say Stricker doesn't hit it long enough off the tee to contend at Augusta National, but he's among the best in the world with his wedge and putter. That's how short hitters Mike Weir and Zach Johnson won their Masters titles.

If Stricker does have a physical disadvantage, it's that he doesn't spin the ball a lot with his irons, which makes it harder for him to stop his ball on the greens.

"I bring it in with some height but I don't put a lot of spin on it and I think that's a negative for me here," he said. "And I'm coming in with usually a club or two more than some of these big hitters. But, you know, shorter hitters have proven to have done well here over the years, too. 'Wiersy' winning and Zach Johnson winning ... I hit it just about the same distance as them. They have proven that you don't need to bomb it to win here."

Stricker's prep work last week was different from any of the other competitors in the Masters field. He hit balls out of a three-sided trailer at Cherokee Country Club in Madison, which has been his winter routine for about seven years.

"We are finally starting to break grass," he said with a laugh. "We can see grass now."

On Sunday, he played 14 holes with Woods. On Monday, he played nine with Vijay Singh. He'll probably play nine more Wednesday.

"I hit it great today and I feel great with what I'm doing," Stricker said. "That's been typical of when I've come out this year. It's been a little bit strange. I'm coming out really fresh, really relaxed, and I don't feel like there's any pressure on me at all, which is a good thing."

About Gary D’Amato

Gary D'Amato is the Journal Sentinel's sports columnist and also covers golf and the Olympic Games. He is a three-time National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association sportswriter of the year in Wisconsin and has won numerous national writing awards.